Twice a month, we share quick advocacy tips and insights that you can use right away to improve your advocacy. Learn how to find your community, lower costs for patients in California, support kidney patients in Nebraska and more in our bi-weekly advocacy update!
1. Find your community of advocates
As a chronic disease patient, sometimes it can feel like you don’t have a voice in the American health care system. We are here to change that! As a Chronic Disease Coalition Ambassador, you will be actively involved in creating local, state and national change to protect chronic disease patient rights — and have fun alongside likeminded patient advocates. Join the ambassador program!
2. This is why we need PBM reform
The Wall Street Journal recently dove into the challenges associated with the prescription drug rebate system. For example, a pharmaceutical manufacturer replaced a brand-name asthma medication with a generic to lower costs for patients, but it backfired. Why? The major pharmacy benefit managers are refusing to cover the generic product, despite it being 35% cheaper than the brand-name, because they don’t get as big of a rebate. This article reinforces the importance of our ongoing work with Senate Bill 873 and the need to reform the rebate system in California to ensure the cost savings are passed on to those who need it most – the patients. Take action today!
3. Build a peer support system
Cristol Barrett O’Loughlin, Founder & CEO, Raregivers shares the importance of having peer support when you're a caregiver. Learn more about the value of peer support and more in our Chronic University Session.
4. Identify where to take action in your state
The CDC Policy Map is a continuously updated tool to track important legislation that impacts chronic disease patients. We built the Policy Map for the busy advocate who doesn’t have time to track individual bills on a daily basis, but wants to be knowledgeable about what’s happening in their state, and a one-stop-shop for advocates wanting to understand the state-level policy landscape. Don’t see a bill you care about on the map? Email nathaniel@chronicdiseasecoalition.orgto discuss adding it to our list.
5. Stand up for kidney patients
LB 32 — aims to extend Medigap insurance coverage to individuals under 65, which would be a big step forward for chronic patients that have trouble affording various expensive treatments. But there’s a possibility that kidney patients could be “carved out” of this coverage because of the cost of dialysis. We need you to speak up now in support of the bill, and for the full inclusion of all chronic patients. Email your legislator today!